In view of the various proposals concerning the nature and function of the book of "Proverbs", this present study focuses on the social dimensions of the document within its distinct, literary context. That is, the study examines the nature and function of the sapiential material within its new performance context, viz., the discursive context, the Sitz im Buch. In the main, the investigation explores the discourse setting of the book of "Proverbs" as well as the formal and thematic features of the individual collections. More specifically, this study highlights the fundamental features of the book's discursive context, the thematic development of the material, the ethos of the individual collections and their role within the book of "Proverbs" in order to ascertain the degree to which the book of Proverbs may be considered a courtly piece.